The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for displaying vital sign data, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for displaying vital sign data, which monitor a vital sign signal of a patient in an intensive care unit (ICU), an operating room (OR), or a hospital ward in a medical facility.
An electroencephalograph or a like device measures analysis data (i.e., frequency spectra) of a patient consecutively in a medical facility and displays the thus-measured data in a predetermined arrangement. The electroencephalograph displays the data while arranging them vertically according to a display method called a compressed spectral array (CSA) display method or a density spectral array (DSA) display method.
As described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,895, the CSA display method is for displaying a curve in which the horizontal axis represents a frequency and the vertical axis represents an amplitude of an electroencephalogram (EEG). Curves are displayed while being arranged in a vertical direction at given time intervals. The DSA display method is for providing a horizontal bar in which the horizontal axis represents a frequency and the brightness thereof at a portion corresponding to each frequency represents the amplitude of an EEG by density of dots (black dots). Horizontal bars are displayed while being arranged in a vertical direction at given time intervals.
In contrast, a bed-side monitor which displays other vital sign signals, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or a pulse wave, employs a display method of providing a display with the horizontal axis representing a time axis.
As mentioned, there has hitherto been employed a display method of displaying a vital sign signal other than an EEG with the horizontal axis representing a time axis. Further, there has hitherto been employed a display method of displaying EEG analysis data with the vertical axis representing a time axis.
However, when vital sign signals of a patient are monitored through use of a related-art electroencephalograph and a bed-side monitor, EEG analysis data are displayed with a time axis differing from that used for displaying another vial sign signal (e.g., an ECG or a pulse wave). Hence, difficulty is encountered in readily ascertaining a time relationship between the EEG analysis data and the other vital sign signal.
Therefore, in the event that the condition of a patient has changed, difficulty is encountered in analyzing and diagnosing a correlation between changes in an EEG and another vital sign signal and in specifying a cause of the changes in the patient's condition.